A few weeks ago I finally got a chance to try Good Dog Bar (224 South 15th Street) with some of my girlfriends from college. We arrived around noon on a Saturday and the place was packed. Fortunately, we were able to order some drinks from the bar and go sit upstairs and chat while we waited.

When we were seated, we got a fabulous table right by the window. The menu looked amazing – but I had spoiled my lunch appetite with breakfast at Little Pete’s, so I opted for the salad. My friend Carling (who has a deep affection for burgers) ordered the Good Dog burger and did say the cheese was a little bit overpowering. But overall, it was a nice visit with good service & yummy food.

I live for Philadelphia Restaurant Week. Even before I officially moved to the city, Restaurant Weeks were some of my favorite times to visit Philly. With the next week right around the corner (January 20 – 25 & January 27 – February 1, 2013), here are my top 5 Philadelphia Restaurant Week locations you must try!

3. The best value, if you’re into bowls of bacon & meat on a stick for $15 less than it normally costs – Fogo De Chao (1337 Chestnut St.) *Not on the RW website as of yet, but if they do decide to join again in the future, it’s a must.

Last week, my friend Kelly & I were brainstorming places for our next dinner date. We are two carnivorous women and decided burgers were the way to go. After a quick browse of Philly Mag’s Best Burger list, we were set on Jose Garces’ Village Whiskey (118 South 20th Street).

While Village Whiskey does not take reservations and was packed on the chilly Thursday night we chose to dine, we lucked out and were able to snag two seats at the end of the beautiful bar in under 15 minutes. If you’ve never been, the going rate for a table is an 1.5 hour wait.

While whiskey is not my first choice when ordering a drink, their bar menu looked fab. I went with the Havest Moon, which had apple brandy & warm spiced cider and was perfect for a chilly night. Kelly chose The Atomizer which she equally loved.

It’s not that the menu here is extensive, it’s that it makes you want every. single. thing. (PS: Sorry for the shotty photos. It was super dark inside and you know I was not going to be THAT girl that takes a photo with the flash. Been there one too many times…)

I chose the Village Burger, and obviously endless add-ons of cheddar cheese, carmelized onions, smoken bacon, and my favorite, a fried egg. Kelly went for the signature Whiskey King, and we were both in foodie heaven.

We couldn’t pass up on the duck fat fries, and while you’re there, you might as well… We went with the shortrib & cheddar french fries, and just, um, you need to get these in or around your mouth ASAP.

I even (lamely) took home half of my burger & the fries and had them for dinner the next night. I was debating bringing them to lunch at work on Friday but I was too nervous someone would steal my bag from the fridge. Loved our night, it was delicious & fun, and I can’t wait to go back!

Have you ever been to Village Whiskey or a Jose Garces restaurant? What did you think?

One of my favorite things about living in the city is the amazing access to good food – whether it be fab restaurants, delicious markets or even great grocery stores – anything & everything is within walking distance. So since the weather has been beautiful the past two days and I was in desperate need of a supermarket run, my boyfriend Jordan & I headed down to Whole Foods Market on South Street.

I had pre-selected a recipe to try for dinner from my new cookbook, “Foolproof,” from Barefoot Contessa. I purchased it to get myself to free shipping while shopping online @ Barnes & Noble on Black Friday, and was infatuated upon first read. So, I decided to adapt one of Ina’s recipes for last night’s dinner!

And here is the yumminess I came up with: Salmon ,Guacamole, Bacon & Arugula sandwiches.

I am going to give you the recipe in the terms of my aspiring chef brain only. Keep those expectations low 🙂

Salmon: we bought 2 6 oz fillets of tequila lime salmon at Whole Foods. Preheated the over at 375 degrees. Sprayed some tin foil with cooking spray and wrapped each piece individually. Stuck on top row of oven for 20 minutes.

Bacon: Line a baking sheet with foil and turn the edges up. Using a package of applewood smoked bacon, place strips on the foil so none are overlapping. Bake for ~15 minutes and remove from grease immediately. Place on paper towel to dry. (I don’t even know what I ever did before I saw this “recipe” for how to bake bacon on Pinterest. It comes out 100% perfectly EVERY TIME.)

To assemble, smother both sides of the toast with guac. Place a few pieces of arugula on either side, followed by your bacon & salmon. Combine together, slice, and enjoy!

Again, I really love that I can run to Whole Foods, grab yummy & fresh foods, come home & cook a new recipe at a reasonable hour. This recipe was definitely a success, and I can’t wait to pick up more adaptations from my new cookbook!

What are your favorite recipes to cook on a weekday? I’d love to hear them!